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What not to miss in the EPL this weekend

October 12, 2016 15:45 IST

Rediff.com brings you the previews of the main matches scheduled for this weekend and early next week in the English Premier League calendar

 

Born-again Liverpool bid to end woeful league run against United

 

James Milner of Liverpool, right, celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the Premier League match against Swansea City on October 1 

IMAGE: James Milner of Liverpool, right, celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the Premier League match against Swansea City on October 1. Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images

Livepool v Manchester United

Tuesday, October 18

12:30, IST

Liverpool will be looking to end a dismal Premier League run against Manchester United and build on a promising start to the campaign with victory over their bitter north west rivals on Monday.

Resurgent Liverpool are three points ahead of United in the table as Jose Mourinho's rebuilding programme stutters, but their current run of four successive league defeats to the Old Trafford club is their worst against them for eight years.

Liverpool, who knocked United out of the Europa League last season, have not beaten them in domestic competition since March 2014, but they meet for the first time in this campaign with Juergen Klopp's men in supreme form.

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney and manager Jose Mourinho 

IMAGE: Manchester United's Wayne Rooney and manager Jose Mourinho. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Livepic/Action Images via Reuters

The Reds have won their last four Premier League matches and suffered only one defeat in all competitions so far.

In contrast, Mourinho's men have won just one and lost two of their last four in the league, crashing 3-1 at Watford and being held at home by StokeCity.

Despite the heavy investment in new players that followed Mourinho's much-heralded arrival at Old Trafford, his team currently have three points fewer than they managed from their first seven games of last season, when Louis van Gaal was in charge.

Jamie Vardy of Leicester City, right, warms up with his team mates prior to kick off during the Premier League match

IMAGE: Jamie Vardy of Leicester City, right, warms up with his team mates prior to kick off during the Premier League match. Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Leicester City v Chelsea

Saturday, October 15

17:00, IST

Reigning champions Leicester City meet Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, but neither club has looked like title material so far this season.

Chelsea currently lie seventh, five points behind leaders Manchester City, while Leicester, who shocked the football world with their title success last May, are marooned in 12th place, with just two wins from their first seven games.

They have beaten Chelsea only four times in 20 Premier League games -- although their most recent success was less than a year ago as they stormed to the title.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola issues instructions to his players

IMAGE: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola issues instructions to his players Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Manchester City vs Everton

Saturday, October 16

19:30, IST

ManchesterCity still lead the Premier League, despite their first defeat of the season, at Tottenham Hotspur, in their last outing.

After crushing all before them in the first two months of the campaign, City will be bidding for their first win in three games in all competitions on Saturday when they host fifth-placed Everton, who are four points behind them.

Second place Spurs are waiting to pounce should City slip up and Mauricio Pochettino's side visit West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, when Arsenal host SwanseaCity -- who will be led for the first time by new manager Bob Bradley.

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